News
Geneva sessions: ‘Rejection of resolutions not sufficient, tangible measures needed to counter threat’
… several countries undertaking criminal investigations against Lankans
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka had failed again to counter unsubstantiated accusations pertaining to the Eelam conflict, at the ongoing 55th session of the Human Rights Council, authoritative military sources said.
Western powers had taken specific punitive actions against selected Sri Lankan military officers as well as political leaders on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations.
Canada, two years ago, declared that Sri Lanka had committed genocide during the war against the LTTE, sources said, alleging the government of Sri Lankan had not countered such serious accusations. Canada refused to accept former Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sumangala Dias as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Ottawa on the basis that he had been a member of Sri Lankan armed forces.
The 55th sessions that commenced on 26 February will go on until 05 April 2024.
Repeated rejection of HRC resolutions 46/1 and 51/1, as well as the external evidence gathering mechanism set up in terms of these resolutions, would not help counter the relentless Geneva campaign against Sri Lanka effectively, diplomatic sources said.The government should set the record straight in Geneva, a senior diplomat told The Island.
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, addressed the high-level segment of the session on 27 Feb., while Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Himali Arunatilleke, addressed the session on 01 March following oral update on Sri Lanka.
Serving and retired military officers complained that even 15 years after the successful conclusion of the war the government was yet to deal with the basis of the Geneva investigation. The unsubstantiated allegation that as many as 40,000 civilians perished in the final assault remained the primary UN allegation (March 31, 2011 Darusman report paragraph 137), they said, questioning the inordinate delay in addressing the issue.
Declaring his office continued to advance accountability in Sri Lanka, Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that he was providing support to several jurisdictions undertaking criminal justice investigations in respect of Sri Lankans. His office was in the process of deepening its information and evidence, base on specific incidents of human rights violation. The UN official said that his office was carrying out research on what he called, enforced disappearance and conducting consultations with victims.
Sources said that the UN declaration was a serious warning particularly to those against whom action had been already taken. In 2016, Australia refused a visa to veteran ground commander Maj. Gen. Chagie Gallage. In Feb 2020, the US designated Gen. Shavendra Silva in terms of Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. His wife and two daughters were also designated.
Gen. Silva’s case remained the only instance where family members of senior officers had been designated. In January 2023, Canada imposed sanctions on former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake and Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi. In April 2023, the US blacklisted Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, who responded swiftly that since his last visit there in 2007, as Commander of the Navy, and he hadn’t since sought a US visa.
There were several other cases, including US refusal to issue visa to the then General Sarath Fonseka during the yahapalana administration and preventing Maj. Gen. Udaya Perera from leaving for the US from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last year although he had a valid visa.
Sources pointed out that the UN official disclosed that several countries had conducted criminal justice investigations targeting Sri Lankans. In the absence of a cohesive plan to address accusations, foreign investigations, with the backing of Geneva seemed to have proceeded unhindered.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
